


Date Night

by Cole_Atlas



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:40:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29452440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cole_Atlas/pseuds/Cole_Atlas
Summary: I came up with the idea of a bar where, when you enter, you can only leave when you find someone you will stay with forever. I decided to play with the idea by using some characters I have from other projects and throwing them into the bar. Each chapter is a different set of characters and the relationships can vary from M/M, M/F, F/F, or M/M/M. I don’t have any other variations, but that might change if I really like writing this out for my characters. I might expand on the idea eventually, but for now, it will only be the one chapter for each couple. This is only for my entertainment, but please feel free to read, leave comments, or simply shout at me to write better.
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. Tristan, Ashley, and Talon

Tristan sighed softly as he sipped at the long island iced tea he had ordered after being shoved into the bar. His friends from school had made a bet with him that he wouldn’t be able to get the courage to ask someone to a college Halloween party. He had taken the bet, knowing he could convince his brother’s best friend to go with him since he had been curating a crush on Tristan since they were kids. However, that had backfired when said friend was suddenly shipped off due to being in the military. Tristan had almost asked out another boy he had seen in school, one with far too many tattoos, but had lost his nerve when the man flashed white teeth in his direction.

So, Tristan had gone to the party alone and his friends had held up their end of the bargain by shoving him into the one bar most people avoided. It was the one where, if you entered it, you had to leave with someone you would be stuck with forever. If you didn’t find anyone, you couldn’t leave. They had beds, food, and all necessary toiletries for someone to live there long term if need be.

Tristan sighed again, the sound turning into a low groan at the thought of never being able to leave.

“You sound just as excited to be here as me.” 

Tristan turned his head to look at the man who was now leaning against the bar next to him. The man was attractive enough. He had bright blonde hair and vibrant blue eyes. Although Tristan preferred the look of the tattooed man from school with his dark hair and even darker eyes. That didn’t change the fact that Tristan felt like the blonde was more approachable. Had he been the one Tristan had seen at school and was attracted to, he probably wouldn’t be stuck in this bar. He would be seated at his computer desk creating some kind of virus to make his friends embarrassed the next time they opened their computer. It would be something he could easily destroy from a distance once they had learned their lesson, but he didn’t have access to his computer here. Hell, he had been forced to leave his phone at the door when entering so he didn’t even have that.

“Don’t want to be here?” Tristan grumbled into his cup as he took another sip. The liquid was cold but set fire to his body like a bonfire. 

“Nah.” The male chuckled and angled his body toward Tristan, giving a slightly different view. The man, as expected, had a typical model face, with a relatively proportionate face with sharp features and a decent brooding expression. He had a light shading of stubble on his face, the same dirty blonde as the hair on his head. It was just dark enough to be distinguishable on his face, but light enough to not distract from the golden glow of his skin. Tristan figured the man spent a good amount of time in the sun with how warm his skin looked. “My sister wanted to come, and she can’t go anywhere without me. So, here I am, looking for love in all the wrong places.”

Tristan nodded as if he was listening and let his gaze lower slightly. The man had a pair of wide set shoulders, but his hips seemed to taper in like he worked out for definition more than bulk. He was pretty, almost too pretty, for Tristan. He had always been nervous around men who had known they were attractive because he was the opposite. Sure, he knew he was halfway attractive. He had a twin brother who got so much attention that it would be impossible for Tristan not to be aware of it. Unfortunately, where his brother seemed to wear the wide set jaw and deep-set eyes well, Tristan always thought he looked like he was the background friend in a television show. His scruff never grew in right, his eyes always seemed to squint, and his eyebrows always seemed to be furrowed. It made him look just as brooding as the man next to him, but Tristan didn’t look like he was ready for a photoshoot. He looked like he was doing a horrible impression of a television vampire. 

“Like what you see?”

Tristan lifted his gaze to the pair of bright blue eyes staring at him in amusement. While he could feel the blush forming, Tristan narrowed his eyes and lifted one side of his lip in a snarl. “No.” 

The man laughed and turned so his back was now leaning against the bar. “Fair enough. I don’t like what I see in the mirror half the time either.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “Let me guess. You think you are too devastatingly beautiful, and you shouldn’t hog all the attractive features from everyone?”

The startled laugh that came from the man held far more humor than the previous laugh. He even doubled over a little, causing his shirt to stretch over the muscles of his back. If the strain of the material was any indication, the man had muscle on top of muscle. 

“I wish that was my train of thought.” Tristan watched as the blonde hair swayed as the man’s head turned toward him, his body straightening again. “But to keep the conversation light, let's not talk about that. My name is Ashley.”

“Ashley?” Tristan turned back to the bar, watching the bartender pour a drink for Ashley even though he hadn’t ordered. “Ok, well, I’m Tristan.”

“Tristan?” Ashley mimicked Tristan before rotating his torso to grab the old fashioned that had been poured for him. Once it was in hand, his back was pressed against the edge of the counter again. “Well, it is a pleasure to meet you Tristan. Might if I stick with you for a bit?”

Tristan rolled his eyes and focused his gaze on the light amber of his drink. “Like I could stop you.”

“You could.” Ashley shifted so he was leaning against Tristan’s arm. “All you have to do is ask for me to leave.”

“That’s it?” 

“That’s it.” 

Tristan pressed his lips tightly together, wanting to tell the man to leave, but also not wanting to be alone. He had only been in the bar for an hour and knew he might be here for the rest of his life if he didn’t find someone to call his own. A little conversation with Ashley might be all he had for a while, if ever. He wasn’t the most social creature.

“What’s your type?” Ashley asked out of the blue.

“I don’t have one.” That was a lie. Tristan had a type, and it was one that wasn’t good for him. He wanted danger, tattoos, and piercings. 

“Want to know my type?”

“Not even a little.” 

Ashley chuckled again, leaning a little more on Tristan. “Come on, amuse me.”

“Amuse yourself.” 

Ashley hummed before turning so he could sit on the stool next to Tristan instead of invading his space by leaning on the counter. Once he was comfortable, Ashley began to talk. “Ok. Well, one of my type happens to be nerds. I fell in love once with this body who could work wonders with a computer. He broke through every security system he found and never seemed to hesitate to break down a situation in percentages. When I last saw him, he told me that his survival rate was less than one percent.”

Tristan gripped his glass a little too hard and felt his fingers throb in warning. If he applied any more pressure, he would break the delicate glass. “Are you really telling me about your dead boyfriend?”

“Yeah. I might be pretty, but I have no idea how to have a conversation that is something other than dark. I only lost him a few months ago and here I am, trying to replace him.”

Tristan opened his mouth to speak, but a deep voice on the other side of him cut him off. The surprise wasn’t because he was joining the conversation, but simply because the voice was surprising. No one had been on Tristan’s side during his conversation with Ashley. He hadn’t heard anyone coming and Ashley’s face held the same amount of surprise, like he hadn’t noticed it either. The man had only placed a drink order but had silenced the pair like he had slapped them both.

“Um,” Tristan tried to find his way back to the conversation but couldn’t quite remember what it was. He could feel heat to his right, enough of it to scorch him through the hoodie he had decided to wear. 

Unable to help himself, Tristan turned to look at the man next to him and froze. He didn’t have extremely dark hair, but he hit every other checkmark on Tristan’s preference type. His brown hair was a few shades darker than medium brown, his eyes were shadowed in darkness, tattoos peeked out of the top of his shirt, and at least one piercing sat in his left earlobe. Tristan couldn’t really see what color the man’s eyes were, or much of anything other than the basic things because he quickly looked away. While the man might be his type, Tristan doubted he was the newcomer's type. Tristan didn’t think he was anyone’s type.

“Good evening,” Ashley said to the man on Tristan’s other side. Since Tristan was trying too hard to hide in plain sight, he missed the purr in the blonde’s voice, like he was trying his best to seduce the man.

“Evening.” The gruff voice made Tristan’s blood tingle in his veins. It was low but didn’t seem threatening. He was being as polite as he needed while he waited for his drink.

“Come here often?”

Ashley’s joke made Tristan groan, but the other man gave a single huff of laughter. “I would hope not.” Again, that voice shot through Tristan’s body and he wasn’t going to have that anymore. He grabbed his drink and stood off the stool to escape. 

To his horror, he moved a little too fast and stumbled over his own shoes. He was lucky when Ashley shot off his stool and grabbed Tristan before he hit the ground. The drink was lost, as was the glass, but the man’s hands were gentle as he righted Tristan. 

“You ok?” Ashley asked with far more concern than Tristan thought he should have for a stranger.

Tristan nodded his head once and pulled at his hoodie to busy his hands with something.

“Didn’t mean to scare you.” The deeper voice echoed in Tristan’s skull as he lifted his gaze to meet the man’s gaze. His eyes were blue, much like Ashley’s, but they were a different kind of blue. Ashley had the kind of blue that drew attention to them. The other man’s eyes looked like they were the kind of blue you see when the sea was stormy. It was still blue but had a violent shade of grey and black swirling around in them. Tristan had a moment of envy, knowing his own grey eyes were flat and unimpressive.

“You didn’t.” Tristan hadn’t meant to snap, but his words came out clipped.

“No?” The stormy blue eyes got higher in the air, causing Tristan’s head to tilt back slightly. It wasn’t like Tristan was short, standing just under six foot, but the man before him was at least five or six inches taller. “Then why are your eyes so wide?”

On cue, Tristan narrowed his eyes to slits, his lips curling again, much like his expression to Ashley earlier in the conversation. “Bite me.”

“Maybe another time.”

The man’s answer made Ashley bite his lips and Tristan growl in warning. “Careful big boy, I think you might get scratched if you keep that up.” Ashley’s voice was all laughter.

“Is that a promise?” 

Tristan snarled at them both. “Seriously? You two going to gang up on me? Fuck you both.”

Ashley’s head cocked to the side, only before a large smile split his face in two. “You were upset before, but now you seem downright angry. Why are you angry Tristan?”

“I’m not!” Tristan’s voice rose just enough to draw attention from a few people behind him. He chose to ignore them.

“What do you think, big bear?” Ashley purred again, his gaze turning to the third man in their group. Tristan hadn't noticed the full beard before, but now couldn’t stare anywhere else now that it was in sight.

“Don’t call me that.” The man sighed and took a sip of his beer. “My name is Talon.”

“Talon?” Ashley gave a moan that did just as much to Tristan’s blood as Talon’s voice. “Well, why do you think he is so upset, Talon?”

“Should I care?” Talon stepped forward so he was within arm’s length of Tristan and used his free hand to tap Tristan’s jaw once. The silent order caused Tristan’s gaze to leave the man’s mouth to focus on the stormy eyes. “Your name is Tristan, right?”

Tristan gave a slow nod, unable to do more than frown with his mouth. He knew he was being teased but couldn’t bring himself to stop them.

“You like being here?”

“No,” Tristan growled.

“Neither do I.”

Ashley stepped up to Tristan’s side and placed a hand on his arm. The touch made Tristan tense, but he didn’t pull away. He was too busy watching Talon. “Looks like you are about to be claimed Tristan. If you want out, it seems he might offer-”

“Don’t leave me with him. He will eat me alive.” Tristan hissed through his teeth. He wasn’t sure why he wanted Ashley’s help, but he knew that if he stayed with Talon, he would probably leave with him if he asked. 

Ashley looked at Tristan in surprise but gave a small genuine smile at the request. Tristan had a feeling he had expected to be on his own again and that oddly made Tristan feel bad for him. He couldn’t exactly express that, not when Talon still looked at him like he was dressing him down both physically and mentally.

“So, if I ask you to leave with me, I have to take the blonde with me as well?”

Tristan’s head jerked slightly in surprise. “Can you claim two people as yours?”

Both of Talon’s eyes lifted at the question, seeming to notice that Tristan didn’t dismiss the idea. “The idea of this bar is to make sure everyone has someone to love. Whether that is one or two people isn’t of the owner's concern.” Talon lifted his hand back to Tristan’s chin, gently stroking the skin there with his thumb. “So, yes, you can claim more than one person.”

“Do you want to claim two people?” Ashley asked, his body shifting so he stood slightly behind Tristan. While Tristan wasn’t entirely happy to be pinned between the two men, he didn’t try to escape. If he escaped, he would be stuck in a bar trying to find the courage to talk to someone he liked.

The only problem with that was he never liked anyone at first glance. He might find them attractive, but the more attractive they were, the meaner was likely to be. Did he want to do that? He wasn’t sure he did even though he was afraid of getting eaten alive by the two attractive men.

“To be honest, I will take anything at this point. I dislike their beds here and have already seen my friends leave with people they were willing to claim. At this point I would take a girl and I’m a gay man.” Talon lifted a single shoulder in a shrug, like what he had just said didn’t sting. “But I won’t lie about finding you both attractive. You are attractive, so that helps.”

“How romantic,” Ashley purred again. His voice seemed to slip in and out of being a flirtatious masterpiece and Tristan had to wonder why. He didn’t voice the question, knowing it wasn’t important. “But I can get behind that. I will agree to the permanent threesome if Tristan does.”

“You sure? You two haven’t even been here for a single night.”

“And I don’t want to.” Ashley was quick with his response, his body seeming to shift closer to Tristan. “Trust me when I say, I can almost bet Tristan is my type. So are you for that matter.”

“Have a wide range in types?” Talon’s hand slid down so his palm was cupping Tristan’s neck. Tristan had to admit that he was surprised to hear Ashley’s types again. Sure, Tristan knew the man was okay with nerds, that had already been established, but Tristan wasn’t anything like Talon. The man was tall, bulky, and looked like he could crush someone’s life from their body with a single hand. Tristan couldn’t complete a single push up and had no definition in any of the muscles he might have. He was more focused on his brains than his body appearance. 

“If someone is alive and of age, they are likely my type.”

Talon’s gaze shifted to Ashley, but he let the conversation drop there. “So, Tristan, it seems the entire decision rests on your shoulders.”

Tristan swallowed, a light graze of Talon’s nails on his skin causing his blood to boil. He had always had a sensitive neck and any stimulation there often got him horny. This time was no different. He had to fight down the urge to lean into the touch and ask for more. “I decide if the three of us leave together?”

“Yes.” Ashley’s voice was barely above a whisper in Tristan’s ear.

“So?” Talon’s hand stilled as his thumb curled around the front of Tristan’s throat, so he was gently holding him in place.

“S-Sure.” Tristan almost couldn’t find his own voice in the murmuring of the bar, but the pair seemed to have heard him because the next thing he knew, he was being led toward the door by Ashley. Talon was leading them; his drink having vanished at some point during their conversation.

One would think there would be an employee at the door, making sure the people leaving had a deal in place where they would stay with each other for eternity, but there was no one there. Instead, as the three approached the door swung open and allowed them to step outside. 

To Tristan’s surprise, as they walked out into the night air, a rush of warmth rushed over his body and a weight in his pocket reminded him that his phone was returned to him. “How the hell?” Tristan whispered more to himself than anything as he patted the familiar shape in his pocket.

“The place is laced with strong magic. The warmth was the connection being created and the weight in your pocket is the building giving back anything you had to leave at the door.” Ashley answered, even if Tristan hadn’t meant for his question to really be answered.

“But a man took my phone.” Tristan grumbled.

“That employee only works for admittance.” Ashley shrugged. “When I talked to him before entering, he said he places all of your things in a bag that the building watches out for when you leave. Since I am just a boring old human, I couldn’t tell you how that works exactly, but I know it would take someone with an abnormal amount of power to do that.”

“I think my friend left with a girl who had the kind of power to break the spell, but she deals with elements more than curses, so maybe I’m wrong.” Talon’s voice was softer than it had been in the bar. “I wonder how they are doing. They left a few days ago.”

“We can check on them.” Ashley hadn’t left Tristan’s side since they exited the building, but he had kept his gaze on Talon to make sure the man didn’t sprint away. Not that he could at this point. “Think they will be awake?”

Talon shrugged and let out a long sigh. “I’ll call him in the morning. For now, we should head somewhere. Either of you have a home? I just have an apartment that won’t have enough sleeping and I know the first night we are required to be in the same place.”

Tristan had forgotten that part of the contract. You had to spend twenty-four hours with the person you left with for the bond to become stable. Once that initial period was over you could separate, but you had to return to the other at least once a week. Most people just decided to move in together right away to avoid getting any backlash from the spell.

“I have an apartment too,” Tristan admitted.

“I have a house,” Ashley said in a whisper. “It was my father’s before he passed away. Technically my sister lives there as well but I left her behind in the bar and I can almost promise she wouldn’t want to go there when she finds someone, so we can head there.”

“You sure?” Talon turned so he was facing both of them.

Ashley nodded. “Yeah. Shall I give you directions?”

Talon pulled his phone from his pocket and held it out to Ashley. The blonde quickly typed in the address and when Talon looked at it, both of his eyebrows hit his hairline. “You live in the most expensive part of town?”

“I’ll explain another day.” Ashley turned to look at Tristan. “Phone?”

“Can I actually get a ride? I was shoved out of a friend’s car, so I don’t have one here.”

Ashley smiled and nodded, holding his hand out to Tristan. “Well, come on then. Let me show you our home if we decide to stay there for our eternity.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one of these characters are featured in another piece I have on this site. Neither Ashley nor Tristan are his intended love in that work, but I did find them fun to play with.


	2. Gabriel and Dorian

“I can’t believe I let him drag me here,” Gabriel whined to himself as he watched his twin leave the bar. Dante had always been impulsive and hadn’t blinked an eye at the idea of walking to the famous bar known for acting as a matchmaker. When he had turned and talked to the bouncer by the door, he hadn’t let Gabriel try to talk him out of the action. He just escaped inside and had left Gabriel to follow him.

Being who he was, Gabriel couldn’t do anything other than follow his brother inside. He had sent a text to his boss to let her know he wasn’t going to be in for a bit, and he was sure he would go back to his phone to see an angry string of texts when he did leave. However, it had been a week and neither of them had found someone. Gabriel began to lose hope for both of them. Then Dante had to go and find someone and leave Gabriel at the bar by himself.

“Fucker.”

A soft laugh next to him, made Gabriel glance over his shoulder and away from the door. The man in front of him was pretty in a more delicate way than most men Gabriel had seen so far. He was clean shaven, and his hair was long enough to be tied back into a ponytail. His eyes were an icy blue color that looked more white than blue. It was a beautiful color, but his eyes were even more washed out by his white skin. The man looked like he hadn’t seen sun in years and was the blonde version of Snow White. Although his exposed arms looked like this Snow White could handle himself in a fight.

“Get left behind?” 

Gabriel gave a quick jerk of his head in agreement. “You?”

“Nah. My brother is still here, but I’m trying to be a good influence. If he sees me talking to people, he might do the same.” The male gave a soft sigh and glanced over his shoulder. Gabriel followed his line of sight to a blonde that looked similar to the one next to him. The visual differences didn’t seem too intense from the distance Gabriel was standing, but he wondered if the other brother had more muscle on him. He seemed about ready to pop out of the short sleeve shirt even from a distance. “He was the reason we came in here. He is desperate for love but too afraid to look for it. I think he thought being here would force him to find someone.”

Gabriel couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I get that. My brother is pretty much the same. The only real difference is that my brother did venture away and found someone to leave with.”

The man’s slim shoulders shook slightly with his laugh. “So, do you think my example will get him to at least talk to someone?”

“I don’t know. Although,” Gabriel tilted his head and watched a man slowly walk over. “It looks like someone was waiting for you to leave.”

“Well damn.” 

Gabriel turned his attention back to the slightly shorter male and watched his lips turn up into a small smile. While the man was looking away, Gabriel took a moment to really look at him. He was only a few inches shorter, so they were nearly at eye level, which was unusual for Gabriel since he stood a handful of inches over six foot. However, the man seemed to have longer legs and a thinner waist. The blue shirt looked tapered to his waist, like he was wearing the male version of a corset. While the button up showed the man did have muscle, enough to have constant definition, it wouldn’t be like Gabriel’s kind of muscle. Even if he wanted to blame his hours in the gym for his own bulkier appearance, he knew it had more to do with the fact he was a shapeshifter. His body had to be a little bigger to accommodate the shift between human and panther. If he were as thin as the blonde, he would probably look emaciated. 

“So, mind keeping me company for a bit while my brother tries to flirt?” The icy eyes turned back toward Gabriel and lit up with amusement when they realized he had been checking him out. “I’m Dorian by the way. What’s your name?”

“Gabriel.” Clearing his throat, Gabriel motioned to the bar. “Drink or food?”

“I could use some water.” Dorian began to walk, his movements more graceful than even Gabriel’s cat like body could manage. 

“So, tell me, what do you do?” Gabriel asked the typical getting-to-know-someone question as he sat at the bar with Dorian, ordering himself a strawberry lemonade instead of water. He might not like the bright color of the drink, but he loved the amount of sugar in the drink.

Dorian made a face like he had gotten one of the lemons that were swimming around in Gabriel’s drink. “Not something I often tell to someone I just met. Why don’t you tell me first?”

Gabriel took a large sip of his drink as he eyed Dorian. “That sounds ominous.” Slowly Gabriel placed the drink down on the counter and angled his body, so he was facing Dorian. This forced his jean clad legs to part slightly, the stretch straining against the outside of his thighs. “But sure, I’ll bite. I’m a cop. Before you say it, I know all cops are pigs. I don’t need to be reminded that some of my brethren in arms are assholes.”

Dorian’s eyebrows arched up as he sipped at the water. 

“No response to that?”

“I really can’t tell you my job now.”

“I work homicide cases. I don’t care what you do as long as you don’t kill people.” Gabriel went to take another sip, but when Dorian’s head tilted to the side and a smirk spread across his face, it made Gabriel stop with the glass hovering in the air. “Do you kill people? Are you a fucking serial killer?”

Dorian chuckled and shook his head. “I’m not a serial killer.”

“That wasn’t a no to the killing people thing.” Gabriel huffed into his drink and finished it off before passing the empty glass to the bartender. “With how this conversation is going, I need something stronger. Can I get a shot or two of tequila?”

“Do you want me to be honest?” Dorian continued to sip at his water, his body leaning forward against the counter.

“Not sure I want you to if you are going to make me arrest you.”

“You could try, but I promise you, you won’t make it far.” Dorian’s icy eyes shifted to meet Gabriel’s hazel ones. 

While Gabriel wanted to tell Dorian, he could take him down in seconds, something in the other’s knowing gaze told him that he might not be able to. That was unusual for Gabriel, who had taken down three people at once. Normally he just had to let his body morph into his more terrifying form and the men bowed to his will. He thought Dorian wouldn’t back down. “Fine, whatever. Tell me the truth.”

“I am a hitman for a mafia man.” Dorian watched as Gabriel took the first shot of tequila. “So, yes, I kill for a living. But if it makes you feel better, I kill people that deserve it.”

Gabriel took the second shot of tequila before glaring over at Dorian. “You have got to be shitting me. Are you pulling my chain?”

“No sir. In fact, you will probably know my signature if you work homicide in this area. Although, I have to admit, you will only have seen it a few times. I’m normally careful about where I stash my kill unless I have no option other than to leave it.” The blonde’s words had Gabriel’s head spinning, but he didn’t tell him to stop. “My signature kill is one shit from long distance and I always hit them in the left eye. I go at it from an angle to get as much damage as possible. To make sure they are dead, I take another shot as they fall. Most times I get them in the chest, but there have been a few times my bullet has hit the stomach.”

“Ok, seriously? You are that asshole?” Gabriel felt a growl roll out from his chest, nearly vibrating the glass in front of Dorian. He had seen those kinds of injuries only three times since he joined the force seven years ago. “You said you only kill people who deserve it. You killed a family man a month ago.”

“You mean Jeremiah Hall?” Dorian finished off his water before turning so he was facing Gabriel. Both of his legs stretched out so he could place his feet on the footrest of Gabriel’s stool. “He was a human trafficker and raped his daughter on more than one occasion. She reported it to the police, but somehow that report kept getting lost. I think the officer who takes it always got a hefty payday after a visit from her dad, who wanted to clear up the situation.”

Gabriel blinked at the new information. “What? Who?”

“The officers I know she talked to were an Officer Brent Carraway and an Officer Victor Smith. She may have talked to others, but they hid their tracks better.” Dorian’s matter of fact tone made Gabriel grimace.

He knew both of those officers, but not for good reasons. They were known for being assholes and many of the women on the force had been trying to get them fired for years. Unfortunately, Officer Carraway was the cousin of the police chief. He could get away with murder. It didn’t help that he was friends with Smith.

“So, you killed him?”

“I killed him on my boss’ order because he tried to kidnap my brother. My brother is best friends with my boss.”

“What?” Gabriel’s gaze shot over to the blonde now sitting alone in the back corner of the building. He seemed to be waiting, his gaze locked onto something across the room. “He is friends with a mafia boss?”

“Through me of course. It is a long story, but my boss took to Jasper’s meek demeanor and wanted to protect him. When he heard Jasper was almost kidnapped, he was just as upset as me. He sent me out right away.” Dorian hooked his feet on the stool and pulled it forward. Gabriel’s original assumption that the man didn’t have as much muscle as him was wrong. Dorian’s quick tug had Gabriel and the stool moving a few inches so that Gabriel was practically falling into the other’s lap. It was an odd sensation since Gabriel was normally the one pulling someone in his lap, but it wasn’t one he disliked. A little bit of a challenge could be fun.

“Well fuck.” Gabriel leaned to the side, so his arm was on the counter, using it to keep his balance.

Dorian chuckled and nodded. “So, yes, I go after those that deserve it and who can’t seem to get captured by law. My boss knows better than to send me out on hits that are anything else. I might be the best, but I don’t kill for fun. I do it for a purpose.”

“You realize I could arrest you if I see you outside of this bar, right?”

“Could you? Other than something you said I said, you have no proof of what I have done.” Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Dorian’s words, but bit his tongue. “Sure, I’m sure you could try to force the information out of me, but trust me, I’m less likely to be open outside of this bar. I know how to keep quiet.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes and squeezed his legs, so Dorian’s were trapped between his. “Why tell me all this anyway?”

“Why not?”

Gabriel still couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. He was sitting with a man who the department had been trying to capture for the better part of five years and he had zero desire to arrest him. It was something about Dorian’s gaze and relaxed demeanor that had Gabriel feeling less like he was in the presence of a killer and more like he was with a childhood friend. 

“Again, I will be honest with you.” Dorian tilted his body, so his face was mere inches from Gabriel’s. “I’m telling you because I doubt you would try to catch me, even if you had proof. I know good cops are all about finding the bad guys, but you can’t tell me you aren’t one of those cops that just want the bad guys to leave the good ones alone. If you were just a cop to be a cop, who didn’t know some of the rules were stupid, you would have stormed off the moment I even hinted at killing someone.”

When Gabriel didn’t respond, Dorian continued. “You have the cop air about you. The one that makes you seem like you are above everyone else, maybe even the law itself, but you aren’t looking at me like I am a murderer even though I admitted I was one. You are looking at me like you know exactly what I do and why I do it.”

“I guess that makes me a bad cop.” Gabriel didn’t like the sound of that, but if Dorian was telling the truth, maybe he needed to look at himself a little closer. It didn’t help that he was beginning to think about the fact he couldn’t judge this man for being a hired killer. For legal reasons, he had a badge so that if he did take a life _necessarily,_ he wouldn’t be put into jail. It was a double standard that turned his stomach, making him regret the sugar intake.

“Not necessarily. A cop is meant to protect and serve the people under him. The everyday person needs someone who can keep the drunk driver from making the same mistake. The everyday person needs someone to call when their best friend or lover goes missing. They might even need the cop who can explain to them how their husband died because of a hate crime and to promise they will get the asshole who did it. They just don’t need the cop who will use their power to advance themselves in this world or to push their own views. Do you do that?”

Gabriel snorted. “You tell me. You said you could read me.”

“I can and something tells me you don’t push your agenda on others.”

“I would hope not. I’m a gay atheist who was adopted by parents who only knew I was a baby from Brazil and had a brother who they also adopted.”

“You don’t believe in God?” 

“That’s what you took from that?” Gabriel gave a chuckle as he watched Dorian’s face. The man’s expression always seemed neutral except for the small twitch of his lips or the emotion in his eyes. The calmness settled Gabriel’s bones in an odd way. “No, I don’t believe in God. Do you?”

“I don’t know what I believe. I hope there isn’t a God because he might not take my killing record as kindly as you, even if I see them all as justified. At the same time, I want there to be a God because then maybe I can pray to someone to help me make it through life alone.”

“You plan on living your life here forever then?” 

Dorian groaned softly and shook his head. “I would hope not, but most people don’t want to be shackled to a killer.”

Gabriel didn’t realize what he was saying, even as he said it. “I wouldn’t mind.”

The shocked expression on Dorian’s face was the first true emotion Gabriel had noticed. His mouth opened and his light eyebrows pinched together like Gabriel was trying to explain a complicated math problem.

“What?”

Dorian began to lean back and shift away from Gabriel, but Gabriel wasn’t going to allow it. Using his bulk, he pulled Dorian onto his lap and turned them, so Dorian was stuck between the counter and Gabriel’s body. The man’s long legs wrapped around Gabriel’s waist, needing to have a place to hold on. Both of the man’s hands had found their way to Gabriel’s throat, ready to rip away his life if he moved wrong. 

“I’ll leave with you. I might not like that you kill people for a living, but I don’t think you should live alone and, to be honest, I like that you didn’t judge me for my chosen profession. In this day, most people start calling me names for it. You see that I do my job the best I can even among the people who use the title to make bad decisions that take other people’s lives.” Gabriel tilted his head back, giving Dorian full access to his throat. “I can do the same for you. I won’t judge you because you do what you think will save other people.”

Dorian flexed his fingers around Gabriel’s throat as if debating if he liked the offer. “Tie yourself to a killer? Are you really a cop?”

“No probably not.” Gabriel laughed softly. He had thought about tying himself to a thief a few years ago but life hadn’t been kind to that relationship. Gabriel still missed the boy from time to time, but he couldn’t have that man back no matter how much he wanted him. “What about you? Are you really a killer willing to tie yourself to a cop?”

“Well, yes. It makes sense for me to jump on that opportunity. You can’t arrest me if you want to avoid being separated from me.” Dorian’s hands slid away from Gabriel’s throat and into his hair.

“Fair enough.”

Dorian tugged gently at the strands of brown hair before releasing Gabriel. “So, if you want to leave, we should probably do it now.”

“Why? Afraid I will change my mind?”

“No, but I might.” Dorian slowly pushed back onto the counter before swinging his legs to one side of Gabriel. As he hoped down, he glanced at the door. “Ready?”

Gabriel bobbed his head in agreement and stood from the bar. For a split second he was afraid of following the blonde outside, knowing that he would be tying himself willingly to the kind of man he often put behind bars. He also knew he would get in trouble if he ever was discovered to be in a relationship with someone, he knew killed people for a living. Although something told Gabriel that Dorian would never get himself caught. Each time they had found a body left behind by the man, there was nothing other than the wound type that would connect them. If anything, they would catch the mafia boss before they caught Dorian.

“You often get lost in your mind?”

Gabriel met Dorian’s gaze before stepping next to him. “Sometimes, but I am normally a hair more observant of my surroundings.”

“Are you?” Dorian grinned up at him. “I’ll have to put that to the test another time. For now, let’s head out.”

Ten steps later and Gabriel felt the tie connect him to Dorian and found himself grinning. 


	3. Warren and Marek

Warren rested his head on the table, letting out a long irritable sigh. He had made a stupid mistake by stepping into the bar, but he had done it in a desperate act to get his ex-husband to come after him. The man had been all power, tattoos, and smiles. He had made Warren feel like he was the center of the universe until divorce papers had been thrown into his face like a belated April fool’s joke.

The reason for the paperwork? 

Warren had no idea. There hadn’t been a reason given. At least, Warren couldn’t think of something. He hadn’t been told what it was either. All the information he had was that they had fucked the night before he woke up to see a packet of papers on the table and a reminder not to betray the man to the cops.

He could potentially turn Adonis in, ignoring the implied death threat if he tried something so stupid. It wouldn’t change the outcome of Warren’s life in the long run since he had lived with death threats since he started dating his husband. He even doubted his ex would follow through with the threats, but Warren didn’t want to go to the police station. They had left him high and dry one too many times before he even met Adonis. 

“I was an idiot.” A young idiot who had gotten married while still in college to the first man who had shown interest. He hadn’t even cared that Adonis had been a mafia man. It had never mattered, even when death threats were thrown his way and Warren was kidnapped. Adonis had always come for him and had kept him safe.

Until that morning with the fucking papers and no blonde with tattoos to warm the bed.

Warren sighed again and pushed back on the chair so he could stand. Only the chair knocked into someone a few inches into the slide. The sudden jolt as the person grabbed the chair had Warren tensing, afraid someone might lash out at him. He didn’t have his bodyguard anymore and knew he would never remember the self-defense he had learned.

“Are you alright?”

Warren slowly turned his head and glanced up at the man behind him. He looked like a beast with a smile made of sugar. A sour taste found its way to Warren’s mouth as he gave a quick nod of his head. While the man looked almost nothing like Adonis, that was all Warren could think of. The only thing the pair had in common was the pale tone of their skin. Adonis’ skin had been kissed by sunlight from time spent out by the pool, that time in the natural light also creating natural highlights in his blonde hair. The man behind Warren looked like he rarely stepped outside and had hair that was bleached a white color. The dark roots of his natural color barely showed, but the color was prominent in his eyebrows and the light shadow of stubble on his jaw. Still, with those physical differences, Warren could only see the power radiating off the man like he could command the entire room to do something.

“Are you sure?” Warren noted the differences in the voices too, unable to stop himself. Adonis’ voice had always been a razor edge. It hadn’t been harsh, but it had been strict and demanding as he barked orders at the men under him. The voice that escaped the tall male’s mouth was a deep timber that could have rumbled the floor but didn’t hold the same demanding power. Sure, the man had the presence of someone about to take over the world, but his tone was as if he was trying to talk a frightened kitten from a tree.

“No,” Warren admitted without meaning to.

A knowing smile crept onto the man’s face as he motioned with a hand to one of the free seats at Warren’s table. “May I?”

“Er, yeah, I guess.”

“Thank you.”

Warren watched the giant move to the seat directly across from him at the square table and gracefully sat. Just like Warren had assumed, the man looked larger than life. His shoulders almost seemed to sit far enough apart to overtake the table and Warren worried that he might have to tilt his head back to keep his gaze on him.

“Uh,” Warren whispered into the silence between them.

“Sorry, where are my manners, my name is Marek.” Warren blinked at him and that caused the giant to chuckle softly, that low voice making Warren shudder. “Do I frighten you?”

Warren shook his head because he wasn’t exactly scared. He was nervous and unsure of himself, sure, but not scared. He had been married to a mafia boss for two years and had only a few scars to show for it. Adonis had spent his career trying to prove he was just as strong as the man he had inherited the job from and had tried to keep his relationship neutral with another boss in the area. All that left Warren not being afraid of much. He wasn’t afraid of Marek.

_Am I?_

“Sorry, my name is Warren. Although people call me War, Ren, and whatever else they can come up with. I had a friend who used to call me jackass.” Warren’s mind flashed to Tristan, the friend he had stopped talking to the moment he married Adonis. He momentarily wondered where his friend had turned up before shaking his head to clear his head. “So, take your pick.”

“I like Warren.” Marek’s smile was softer than it should have been. With how big he was and how much muscle sat one the man’s shoulders, Warren thought he would be a brooding type. Instead, he looked like he knew only how to smile. 

“Thanks.”

Silence fell again and Warren wanted to smack his head against the table. He had been worse on his first date with Adonis but at that point, he had been nearly kidnapped and thrown onto a boat with the man. He had reason to be nervous then, but he had no reason to be so now. Besides, Warren had put himself in this situation.

“Want to tell me what brought you here?” 

“Stupidity?” Warren sighed and pulled his chair closer to the table so he could lean his arms against it. He hung his head slightly to stare at his fingers as they curled against the top of the table.

He wondered, momentarily, what Marek would be looking at as he gazed across the table. Would he notice Warren’s dark worried hair as it stuck up in more directions than it should from worried hands? Would Marek care that Warren had ears that stuck out just a little more than the average person? Sure, most people didn’t notice, but Warren was aware of the awkward tilt. If he noticed anything at all, Warren hoped it would be how perfect his teeth were. Warren had tanned skin from his Columbian parents and his straight, white teeth, always seemed to be what people liked to compliment. 

Warren sighed to himself, knowing that Marek wouldn’t see his teeth if he didn’t smile and continued to stare at his own short fingers. 

“I just got a divorce, one that was finalized less than a week ago, and I just found myself here hoping that if he knew I was here that he would come and get me. Pathetic right?”

Marek’s smile didn’t waver as he shook his head. “Not in the slightest. Did he respond to your message that you were here?”

Warren blinked for a moment before giving a loud groan, dropping his head against the table. The instant ache behind his eyes told him just how hard he had hit his head. “I didn’t even fucking tell him.”

While Warren had expected a laugh to follow those words, none did. Marek simply sat patiently until Warren lifted his head. When he did, he was surprised to see Marek pushing a phone in his direction. “Tell him now?”

“How do you have your phone? They take them upon entry.”

“This isn’t my phone.” Marek tapped the screen twice and the screen lit up to a familiar blonde face that had a small cry escape Warren’s mouth. “It’s a trick I have. Use it and I will put it later.”

Warren hesitantly reached his hand out and touched the phone, bringing it to life when it threatened to darken. Adonis’ smiling face was staring at him, Warren still unable to change his screen to something else. It had been toward the beginning of the relationship when Warren had snapped the photo of a happy Adonis, the background of a beach fading in the background. “Well, now I just seem even more pathetic. Still having a picture of your ex-husband as your background while in a place where you are supposed to find a soulmate of your choosing? Super pathetic.”

Still, that thought didn’t stop Warren from sending a quick text to his ex.

**Warren: I’m at that stupid bar that ties people together. Come get me?**

It was a risk. Warren knew it was. 

“Do you think-?” Warren’s question was cut short when he saw a message pop up on his phone. He hadn’t expected a response that quickly and just stared at this phone for a moment before opening the new message.

**Adonis: No.**

Warren knew he couldn’t hide the devastation on his face as he slammed his phone down on the tabletop. He had known that would be the response, but it still ate at him, knowing the man had tossed him away so easily.

“I’m sorry,” Marek whispered as he took the phone from the table and did something to make it disappear. Warren didn’t pay close attention. He was too busy staring at his hands, wondering when they had begun to shake so hard.

“He wouldn’t even tell me why he left. Was I not good enough? Did I get too clingy? What did I do?” Warren’s voice shook as much as his hands did until he couldn’t even find his voice. All he could do was gasp for air; his body unsure of what to do with the pain building up in his stomach all over again. It was like seeing the divorce paperwork all over again.

Warren didn’t notice Marek stand or feel Marek’s arms lift him from the chair. His gaze didn’t register that he was moved through the bar or set on a bed. It was only when Marek tried to step away that his body responded, clinging to Marek in a desperate attempt to gather some strength over the pain. 

Why had he texted that? Why had he come here? What had he been thinking? 

“Warren.” Marek’s voice sounded almost like a song. “Deep even breaths.”

While the phrase wasn’t one that normally worked for a panic attack, Warren’s body responded to them like it was an order. His lungs stopped shaking and took in several breaths that seemed to ease bits of tension from his shoulders and ridged arms each time the breath left his nose.

“Better.” Marek sat on the edge of the bed provided by the bar and let both of his hands massage one of Warren’s. “I understand the pain of losing someone you considered a soul mate.”

“Like someone would leave you.” Each word out of Warren’s mouth seemed to be slow and he had to take several breaths between a few of the words. He found his body calming, but it had a way to go before he could speak normally.

“Ah, but they would. I will not explain it now, but I have lost the same person more times than I can count, and the last time was the last. He made a bargain to stay with me forever, but his bargain had a loophole and now he is gone.” One of Marek’s hands began to massage Warren’s forearm in soothing circles. “I came here in a pointless effort to replace him. I imagine I am in the same boat as you.”

“Sorry,” Warren whispered softly.

“No need. Although, I was thinking about leaving. If I offered to take you with me, would you go?”

Even with tired eyes, Warren found himself looking at Marek in shock. “You… what?” 

“I can get us out without the bond.” When Warren opened his mouth to ask how, Marek waved one of his hands in the air in a dismissive fashion. “Let’s just say no building as young as this could keep me contained. The only problem is I would break the spell for everyone else.”

“Everyone in here…?”

“Would leave without needing their soulmate, their lover, or just their second half. While that would not be a disappointment for all, it would be for others.” Marek’s hands finally stopped their massage. “But I can do it for you. For just myself, I wouldn’t need to break anything. I would just need to step outside. The bar doesn’t even recognize me as a living being after all.”

“Oh.” Warren tugged at his hand, realizing that Marek was just holding it. While he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to stay here, he also didn’t want to break up the one spell that might give some people hope that someone would stay with them. Being alone could be a terrible curse.

“I can also leave with you, so you are tied to me.” Marek’s words were soft, almost like he wasn’t sure he should utter them. “I am far older than you and will certainly outlive you, but I wouldn’t mind being with you for the years you have left.”

“I’m… only…” Warren wanted to tell the man he was only in his early twenties, but something told him that Marek wouldn’t mind that.

“Young? I know, but I live forever. A human life will seem like a blink of an eye for me.” Marek took in a long breath before turning his gaze to Warren’s face. “You know little about me, but I saw your world in the moment I touched your phone. You loved that man with all your heart, and you might never love again. That is an okay outcome, but I don’t wish you to be alone and I just saw that fear of being alone cross your face. I can stay by you so aren’t alone. With me, I can guarantee you won’t be because I also can’t die.”

Warren slowly licked his lips, feeling his hands start to tremble again. The moment Marek took them both in his own hands, Warren could feel them settle. A soothing warmth spread over the back of his hands and up his arms until even his racing heart seemed to settle. “But what if I can’t love you?”

“You mean romantically? It is okay if you don’t see me that way. I might never see you that way, but I wouldn’t mind having a friend always with me. Would it bother you if I always saw you as a friend?”

“Right now? No.” _Would it bother me later?_

Marek seemed to hear the unvoiced question and squeezed Warren’s hands gently. “Later if you need something more, we can either return to add a person to our relationship or simply go searching elsewhere for someone that can give you the romantic relationship you need. I would always be close until your last breath. The bond created in this bar is mainly to make sure no one feels like they are alone in this world. Most people assume that means that their partner would be their lover for the rest of their days. While that often does end up in lovers, since that is what people are searching for, it doesn’t necessarily need to be that. Although it could always change later.”

“Well, if that is the case, what would you get out of this?” Warren wasn’t sure when his voice had become so steady.

“A friend. Other than the man I told you about before, I have never had anyone friendly with me or desire to be near me. I am often too big or too intimidating due to being so old.”

“How old are you?”

“Too old,” Marek said with a chuckle. “So? Shall we make it a deal and escape this place?”

Warren thought for only a moment before nodding his head. He wasn’t sure if this was a good idea, but Warren couldn’t stay here any longer and Marek had been the only one to bother approaching him. Not that Warren could blame anyone. He had been buried in his arms, unable to think of anything other than Adonis for the last few days. He hadn’t let anyone close enough, but Marek had talked to him regardless and had offered him a way out of the place.

Even if Warren wasn’t sure he could love the man, he wouldn’t mind the company.

“Take me out of here through the front door?”


	4. Claire and Dylan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mention of eating disorder

Claire grinned at herself in the bathroom mirror. She had made herself look perfect for her second day at the bar. Her leggings were as tight as a second skin, her crop top was even tighter, but the red and black flannel long sleeve was loosely tied around her waist so it would sway when she walked. Her make-up was subtle, as it always was, but her pink lips looked shiny and her blue eyes were the center of attention with only mascara coating her eyelashes. Foundation and the other intense forms of makeup had never been her thing, so she knew she had a few imperfections showing. But Claire didn’t care. She liked the freckles on her face and her dark eyebrows that were slightly thicker than what was in style. It gave her face character, and she worked her features to the best of her ability.

In other words, she thought she looked hot and she knew everyone around her would think the same. She just had to convince the boys to leave her alone so she could corner a girl into sweeping her off her feet.

Well, maybe she would do the sweeping, but she wouldn’t be opposed to another girl coming up to her with a big smile and carrying her off like Princess Charming. 

“Let’s get ‘em!” Claire threw her long brown hair up into a high ponytail and practically skipped out of the bathroom into the main part of the bar. It was a quiet day, but it was early. Claire had a bad habit of waking up early and it seemed only a few other people had the same affliction. 

There were a few prospects for her, but most people looked too old for her tastes. While Claire had no problem with an age gap, she knew most people would be upset that she had stepped in here without the ability to actually drink. She had just turned twenty and had come in on a dare. When she eventually got out, her friends would owe her over a thousand dollars, but she doubted she would see a penny of it. She loved throwing it in their faces that she was just as carefree as one could get, so as long as she got that privilege, she wouldn’t care about the money.

Well, it also helped that she was a trust fund kid that wouldn’t need to work a day in her life. She just had to enjoy her time in the world.

Humming to herself, Claire scanned the room again only to let her gaze linger on a figure sitting at the end of the bar closest to the door. The silhouette was slim, like the person could turn and disappear into a crack in the wall and the clothes sat so loosely on their frame that Claire wondered if it was even a real person. For where she stood, she couldn’t tell if the person was male or female, but the stark difference between them and the rest of the crowd was enough to draw her closer. 

The figure was hunched over the bar, their head buried in a book with one hand curled around a basic white coffee cup. Their fingers were long and looked graceful, despite the idea Claire had that they might be a hair too skinny.

“Good morning,” Claire practically sang as she slid onto a seat next to the person.

This close and Claire still couldn’t guess their gender, which she was oddly attracted too. Normally, Claire enjoyed women who presented more feminine and had long hair she could grab onto. If the person next to her did identify as a woman, then she would be far from Claire’s usual type with hair that was nearly shaved completely off. She also looked decently tall, but Claire wondered if the baggy clothes were the item making that illusion.

“Morning,” the figure whispered back, their gaze never leaving the book in front of them.

“What are you reading?”

“A book.” The corner of the other person’s lips quirked up, making Claire’s eyes narrow. “It is a textbook I borrowed from one of the other people over there.” 

Claire followed the wave of the other’s hand toward a group of men in the back of the bar. They all looked like they were about to collapse from exhaustion but were too into their conversation to notice that fact. Claire had to wonder if they were that into each other or if they were that desperate to escape this place. It seemed Claire was one of the few up for the challenge of staying long term to find someone they appreciated. 

“Any good?” Claire returned her gaze to the book, trying to skim the words. None of it looked like it was English. 

“I mean, if you want to know more about math, than I guess it could be. I just needed something to do, so I am solving some of the problems while I drink my coffee.”

Claire nodded her head, understanding why she didn’t understand what the book said. She had barely passed high school and had convinced more than one friend to do her math homework so she wouldn’t have to do it. It wasn’t her proudest moment, but she wasn’t afraid to admit she had no idea what math could do for her at this point. She might put more effort into understanding it later, but now was not that moment. “So, that doesn’t put you to sleep?”

“Nah.” The slim shoulders that raised up in a shrug made Claire think of a skeleton. The points of their shoulders under the sweatshirt looked sharp. “And stop looking at me like that. I know I’m little. I always forget to eat, and my mom always yells at me for it.” Claire listened as they cleared their throat as if to change it. Sure enough, when they spoke again, their voice was a little higher. “Dylan how are you ever going to grow boobs if you eat only once every two days?”

“Your mom is concerned about you growing boobs?” Claire snorted and shook her head.

“Well, she just doesn’t want me to think I have to look exactly like her. My mom had to have a mastectomy where both of her boobs were removed because of cancer. She also did chemo where she had to cut her hair. I did the same in support and never bothered to let it grow back in. If it isn’t that she is worried about me looking like the cancer patient, it is probably because she thinks I will be bothered if people think I’m a man. While I don’t see myself that way, I don’t care if others do. I like my androgynous look.”

Claire hummed in understanding as she turned her attention to the bartender. “Can I please get a coffee and like three orders of waffles?” She waited for her coffee before turning her attention back to Dylan. “Hey, not going to lie, your look is what got me over here.”

“Oh? Am I what you were hoping for?” Dylan’s gaze finally left the book and met Claire’s gaze. Claire was surprised by the light brown eyes that stared back at her. They were large and deer like but seemed to know far more than they should.

“Yes, thankfully. Had you been a guy I would have cried and run away.”

“Good thing I’m a girl then.” Dylan let her lips twitch up again as she lifted her coffee to her lips. “So? Why order so much food?”

“I eat like a damn cow.” Claire answered truthfully. “I am one of the lucky people who can eat as much as they want and not gain weight. Although, some of the food I 100% ordered in case you wanted some.”

“Oh god, are you going to force feed me?” While Dylan made an annoyed face, her tone was teasing.

“I mean, I wouldn’t be making you eat waffles. Maybe just the syrup and I would let you lick it off… something.” Claire tried to keep a straight face, but when Dylan laughed, Claire couldn’t help her own grin. Dylan’s laugh was loud and seemed to shake her entire body. “You know, like a spoon.”

“Just a spoon huh?” Dylan shut the book in front of her and finished off her coffee as the waffles were set in front of Claire. 

Claire pushed the plate between them and grabbed a knife to spread some butter onto one of the waffles. It wasn’t until there was syrup poured that she glanced up at Dylan again. The other girl was just staring back at Claire as if trying to decide what they should do next. They were obviously in a place meant for people to connect, but the expression in Dylan’s eyes told Claire she wasn't sure if this was a good idea.

“Afraid I might eat you alive?” Claire asked as she folded a piece of waffle into her mouth. The bite was far too big, and it pushed both of her cheeks out to make her feel like a hamster or a chipmunk. 

“No, but you usually aren’t my type.” 

Claire snorted and forced herself to chew the bite and swallow before speaking. “What is your usual type?”

“Girls that don’t look put together.”

“You think I look put together?!” Claire shook her head and took another bite of the waffle, pleased when Dylan nibbled on a dry piece of waffle. “That’s quite the compliment.”

“Well, while you eat like a five-year-old, you looked to be in good health otherwise and you seem more carefree than most other girls my age, who are still trying to figure out how to put food on the table.”

Claire bobbed her head and shrugged a single shoulder. “I mean, yes, I am pretty healthy. I eat veggies and fruits, but I also indulge in sodas and far too much candy. Although my doctors are always happy at my checks up. I also can’t deny that I am carefree, but not because I know how to live life. I just got the best start at it all. My parents are wealthy and were willing to share that wealth with me because they didn’t want me to ever worry about finances.”

“Must be nice.”

“It is, but that should also tell you that I’m horrible with spending. I buy far more shit than I need and waste more than I want to admit. My crop top shouldn’t cost more than like twenty bucks, but I spent ten times that much because I could.”

Dylan snickered and dipped her piece of waffle into some of the syrup on the plate. “But it’s quite the testament to your character that you even know that much.”

Claire shook her head. “I mean, maybe, but I’m still a brat at heart. I’m just trying to impress you because you are the first person, I’ve talked to that hasn’t been intimidated by how forward I am.”

“I mean, the whole licking syrup off a spoon for you was a bit much, but I liked it. I don’t normally feel like a desirable human. I’m skin and bone on my best days.”

“I think you should. You are prettier than you think.”

Dylan leaned back in her seat and shrugged like Claire had a moment prior. “Thanks, I guess, but most people don’t like just how thin I am even if people think thin is healthy. I’m trying to put on weight, but I actually need a reminder on my phone to tell me to eat. If I don’t then I don’t eat. If you hadn’t ordered food, I would have had coffee for breakfast again.”

“I eat enough that even if you snacked off my plates you would have six meals a day.”

“That your way of saying you wouldn’t mind my horrible eating habits?”

Claire rolled her eyes and pushed another bit of waffle in Dylan’s direction. When Dylan shook her head, Claire didn’t push it. “I just told you I technically overeat. I might be healthy otherwise, but that is an eating disorder itself. I just happen to burn off the calories, so people don’t realize how much I eat.”

“Fair point.” Dylan sighed and reached for the waffle, tearing it apart instead of eating it. “How about you meet me for lunch in a few hours and we can try for another conversation?”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Claire reached over and picked up the book, flipping it open to a random page. “Enjoy learning… okay this has to be Latin. It isn’t math. There are no numbers!”

Dylan laughed but took the book back. “Trust me. It’s math.”

After a few days of conversations, Claire had come to the conclusion that she was comfortable with Dylan. The other girl was easy to talk to and didn’t seem to be bothered by Claire’s forward nature. It helped that Dylan also had a cute smile and had forgone the baggy sweatshirt for the day. It showed that Dylan was indeed far skinnier than she should be, but it also told Claire that she wasn’t nearly as close to skin and bone as she had first thought.

The girl had something on her bones and, while it wasn’t at the healthy level, Claire thought the girl was beautiful. The short, cropped hair and her flat chest let Dylan slip between a more masculine appearance and a feminine one depending on her expression. It was something that fascinated Claire and she wondered momentarily if she would be brave enough to cut of her own hair.

She discovered she wasn’t as she continued to toy with the ends of her hair as she walked out of the bathroom and toward her usual conversational partner.

“So, welcome to day four of trying to decide if we like each other enough to leave the bar.” Dylan’s smile made Claire’s chest flutter. “Want waffles again?”

“Nah.” Claire sat down on the stool next to Dylan, her hands going to the cup of coffee that appeared in front of her. She hated to admit it, but she loved how the bar was always on top of getting the customers their food and drink, even if it wasn’t ordered yet. It was like the workers knew everyone without ever saying much at all.

“No? Then what do you want?”

Claire licked her lips before turning his gaze to Dylan. “Well, I was kind of hoping I could take you to my house where I could cook you something.”

It was a leap, Claire was aware of that, but she loved the idea of Dylan eating something she made, even if she couldn’t cook well. She had some practice in a kitchen because of her father’s diner, but it was the thought that counted. At least, that is what Claire kept telling herself.

“You want to make me something to eat?” Dylan tilted her head to the side before glancing at the door. Her gaze lingered there for a moment before she turned back to Claire. “Can I make an odd suggestion?”

“I mean, I like odd, so go for it.”

Dylan’s lips curled up into a larger smile as she tilted her body toward Claire. “How about you kiss me to make sure you-.”

Claire didn’t let her finish her thought. Her hands went out to Dylan’s cheeks and she pulled the girl forward into a kiss. The connection drew a surprised noise from Dylan, but Claire only stopped when she needed a breath. That didn’t stop her from nipping gently at Dylan’s lower lip. Dylan seemed to enjoy the sensation and gave a little whimpering moan as their foreheads pressed together.

“So? Any good?”

Dylan’s laugh was breathy as both of her hands slowly pushed up Claire’s legs. “I don’t know. Do it again.”

“Oh, you don’t have to ask me twice.” Claire grinned as she pressed her lips against Dylan’s again. While Claire wasn’t normally the aggressor in a heated moment, she had no problem leaning into the kiss again and keeping control. It helped that Dylan didn’t fully sink into the connection. Each time Claire tilted her head and pressed forward to take charge, Dylan challenged the action and left Claire wondering if Dylan was going to growl or if she was going to moan.

It took them both several minutes of desperate connection to pull away and remember where they were. They were in a public bar where a few people were eyeing them, like they envied them while others eyed them with interest. “I think you should take me to your place for breakfast.”

Claire grinned at Dylan as she hummed softly. “Like I just said, you don’t have to ask me twice.”


End file.
